Barefoot Bay, Brevard County, Florida ping.Rest In Peace, brave warrior, and our prayers are with your loved ones.
Let me know if you want on or off this low volume ping list.
(not associated with the county government)
Posted on 05/26/2016 3:53:50 PM PDT by nickcarraway
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Melvin Rector long carried Britain in his heart after he helped defend it during World War II, but 70 years passed without him stepping foot in the country.
The 94-year-old finally decided to leave his home in Barefoot Bay, Fla., to visit Britain earlier this month. The National World War II Museum in New Orleans conducts a travel program through which interested parties can visit certain sites of the war. He signed up for one, in hopes of visiting the Royal Air Force station Snetterton Heath, in Norfolk.
He served there with the 96th Bomb Group in 1945 as a radio operator and gunner on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, flying eight combat missions over Germany during the spring of the war’s final year. On four of these missions, his plane came under heavy fire. One almost proved catastrophic, and the plane returned to base with holes dotting its wings.
This excerpt is from a short film published by the Department of Defense in 1946. The film tells the story of the B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle," her crew and their 25 successful WWII missions from May 1942 to November 1943. (Department of Defense) At one point during his military career, he served as a gunner for the Memphis Belle, the first heavy bomber to complete its tour by flying 25 missions with its crew intact. It went on to have a post-war career in raising morale and money for the U.S. Army. Writes historian John Buescher of the warplane:
After both crew and plane completed their respective 25th mission, the crew received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. They were then ordered in June to fly the Memphis Belle back to the United States for a cross-country tour,
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Barefoot Bay, Brevard County, Florida ping.Wonderful!!! Hand salute...
A fitting end for a warrior. We will always need men of this caliber. Don’t see to many of them in our future thought.
Not a bad movie Connicks best role.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
I was just a snot nosed kid near the big American Air Force at Ruislip, Middlesex during part of the war. The Royal Air Force was flying sorties out of Northolt close by. Always remember how friendly the Americans were to kids. The British adult usually suspicious of any strange small boys ('ere, wot are you doin?)
His passing though sad, was without pain and lingering illness.
A positive story here.
Very glad you shared that about your father’s service to our nation.
I hope he knows there are Many of us that are Tremendously grateful for his valor and that of our nation’s 400,000 servicemen’s ultimate sacrifice.
RE: “My Dad just turned 92 on April 17th, and is fit and strong as a horse. This, from his DD-214...
XXXX X.X. XXXXXXX
European Theater
March 27th, 1943 — December 2nd, 1945
Platoon Sargent,
101st Combat Engineers, 26th Infantry Division, 3rd Army (Patton Armored Corps)
Decorations & Awards:
Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in The Battle of The Bulge
Bronze Star Medal for Valor
Eastern European Ribbon w/ 4 Bronze Star Clusters
for Central Europe, Northern France, Rhineland & Ardennes
Good Conduct Medal
American Theater Service Medal
WW II Victory Medal”
Thank you; I’ll pass it on to him.
Ping! A continuation of a story to which you had alerted me awhile ago...
Many thanks; I’ll pass it on to Dad, tomorrow.
I believe he is about that same age as well. I have no clue what medals he may have, but he is still going as strong as an ox, that’s for sure.
RIP.
I have to disagree with you. My SIL is a State Trooper and a a Capt. In the Army Reserve. I’ve meet his peers and co workers.
Don’t dispair by what you see on TV and there Internet. There are enough to take care of us when we are old(er).
A great story. Thanks for finding it.
My dad’s a WWII vet, 96 now. I’m impressed that Melvin Rector went on this trip at 94. A fitting way to go out. And the Brits did him right.
Nice
We have no idea what that generation did for America. My adult next door neighbor growing up in Baton Rouge never talked about the war. I found out later he was a lead pilot in the 303rd Bomber Squadron in the 8th Air force. He completed his 25 missions over nazi Germany and brought his entire crew home safely. I have his wings which I covet as a treasured possession. My dad was an aviation mechanic on the USS Enterprise (CV 7) in the Pacific. They just went on with their lives and we never knew what they had been through and had done for us. I salute this gentleman and his incredible service for this country
Never noticed before but that film starts out fairly much like “12 O’clock High”.
I thank your dad and your neighbor for their service to our country.
I found myself very stirred both that his passing was so perfect, not only what he wanted but that for it to happen as it did, he had guides and assistants we know not of. And the instinctive gathering of “warriorfolk” to witness that great circle. He was one of the men who made it happen when the fate of the world was in question, and the fate of our world is in question again. The ending of a great saga, worthy of storytellers. And now we are strapping on our boots to begin another struggle. May the ending of our saga be as worthy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.